The art of photography is loaded with thousands of tips to help you make your images look more appealing. Here are several suggestions you can follow to capture great looking shots:Do not forget you can also shoot in vertical format – the most common way to hold a camera is right side up which would mean a horizontal framing when taking a shot. But by turning the camera on its side, you shift the framing into a vertical format which can greatly affect the visual presentation of the scene. When shooting your subject, remember to try using the vertical framing to produce more composition options.

Move your camera angle to not include distracting background elements – when not in a studio setting, you may not have complete control over your surroundings. Certain background elements might appear distracting but cannot be removed from the setting. A trick to eliminate it from showing up in your frame is to angle your camera in such a way that the distraction is not within the lens’ line of vision.

Be aware of shutter lag – shutter lag is the delayed recording of the image after clicking the shutter release button. This is a common issue with digital cameras compared to film although in the recent years, changes have been made to lessen this lag especially with high-end cameras. Be aware that when you press that shutter button, the response of the camera to take the shot may not be immediate. This could pose a problem for scenes with fast action such as sports photography since by the time the camera records the image, the moment most likely would have already slipped away. You can attempt to avoid this issue by anticipating the action in the scene so you can time yourself as to when to click the shutter button.

Do not be afraid to use creative blur – by default, compact cameras are designed to have as much of the scene in clear focus. This is great for regular snapshots where you would normally want the overall image to be sharp. There are times, however, when blurriness can make a photo more attractive and interesting. You can blur parts of an image by either using a big aperture size to create a shallow depth of field (if your camera allows exposure adjustments), or by using motion blur such as panning. Creative blur also makes fantastic abstract images.

Push yourself to be more unique – with the boom of digital photography is the thousands of people suddenly making photography a hobby or a business and multiply that with the thousands of images being made everyday and you get millions of photos being uploaded online or printed. Due to this sheer number of shots, it is very easy for many of them to come out looking very similar to each other. Cliché shots are overwhelming and the last thing you need is to shoot like the rest. Constantly strive to make your shots more creative, give them your special flair.

Photography is a craft that makes use of various ‘rules’, which are actually simply guidelines to help provide a pleasing composition. It can also be an art form, and as ‘art’ is not meant to be controlled and restrained. The following are various photo ‘rules’ which every photographer understand before they are attempted to be broken:

1. Always use The Rule of Thirds – this states that the subject should be placed on one third of the frame, either vertically or horizontally, to create a sense of balance and visual appeal. If you were to place the subject smack dab in the center of a rectangular crop, or if you place it at the very edge of the frame, you are breaking this rule and your image stands the chance of being unbalanced or off-putting. Yet, you can break this rule and still have an interesting image. More visual tension occurs and you can take advantage of this in your shot.

2. The scene must be adequately lit – under or overexposure can mess up a shot and turn a good composition into something you want to discard. However, careful use of lighting can make very dark or bright images striking to look at. Also known as low key and high key, these techniques make use of a lot of shadows or highlights in creating an artistic effect.

3. Remove noise – apparent image noise or grain in a shot are often fixed as soon as they are discovered. We strive to keep our images clear and fine, with no trace of digital noise that can mar our shot. Yet, we can make use of noise to enhance certain images. When used effectively, digital noise can dramatically add to the mood of the shot and evoke an emotional response. For instance, a grainy image of a row of street lamps at night could benefit from some noise.

4. Keep it simple – uncluttered and clean looking images are usually best in presenting the subject to avoid any unnecessary distractions. Breaking this would mean adding a lot of extra elements that could potentially break the shot. Again, control is the key here when setting up the scene. Although it may look busy at first glance, each element can actually support the main subject and the message the photographer is trying to convey.

5. Keep the subject sharp – the general rule is that subjects should remain sharp in the image so they can be easily recognized and appreciated. And yet, images that are completely out of focus can be quite interesting especially if you are trying to invoke a certain mood or design. As long as the out of focus or blur is obviously intentional and positively impact the shot, out of focus images can be a resounding success. However, do not pass off blurry snapshots as being artistic and attractive. Most viewers are discerning and know whether the out of focus is intentional or by accident.

6. Make the subject clearly visible – when taking images, the subject is usually in a prominent place in the frame and is obviously the center of attention. You can also create interesting and provoking photos by placing the subject in a more subtle position, thus creating a need in the viewer to see more of it. For instance, partial portraits are quite popular although you cannot see the entire subject.

Tilting the lens is a technique that is not widely used but can certainly improve your shots and could be the answer to some focusing issues.

Tilting – this can create soft focus and can also bring more of the subject into focus without sacrificing the aperture size.This effect is called the Scheimpflug Rule, the camera lens is tilted along its axis and facing the subject plane.

The standard prime or zoom lens have glass parts which stay parallel to each other, with the distance between them increasing or decreasing in order to focus the image in the sensor. The lens always stays parallel with the image plane and sensor to keep the image sharpness even and consistent.

If you tilt the lens at another angle to the sensor plane, you can create interesting visual results.One of these is selective focus, which is allowing only an area in the image to be sharp and then captured by the sensor. This area in focus is positioned within the focal plane by changing the focal length.

Selective focus can be used to emphasize certain details and disregard others, which can be used to guide the viewer to a certain emotional response. If you tilt the image away from the subject plane, the upper and lower areas of the image become selectively unfocused regardless of where the lens is facing. The effect becomes more obvious with the more tilt you give the lens.

When set to infinity, this tilting technique can make an image appear as if the scene is in miniature, especially with those showing top view or from afar. With this effect, the image projects the illusion of being in macro. People appear tiny, buildings look like models and cars and trains look like toys.

Another effect resulting from tilting is that it allows a wider focused area without adjusting the aperture. When the lens is tilted toward a slanting subject, the subject can appear to be entirely in focus. By using an aperture such as f/4, you can push the depth of field further with the tilting technique while allowing for a faster shutter speed. The added advantage to this is you have the option to handhold the camera instead of relying on a tripod.

The tilt shift technique is beneficial in close-up photography, such as when photographing small items such as jewelry. The sharp area can be strategically placed exactly where you want the viewer to look, and if the images are for commercial purposes, this can be a great asset. This is also useful in landscape photography where one can increase the depth of field without decreasing aperture stop. A scenario would be a low-light situation where overall image sharpness is needed. Using the tilt shift approach, one can use an aperture of f/8 to cover a wide focused area as one would with an f/16, with the advantage of letting more light into the sensor.These varied options for depth of field and shutter speeds make the tilt lens popular among landscape photographers.

In photography, the simplest decision can sometimes help or weaken the impression of an image. How we choose to frame or crop our subject affects the overall composition and the effect it has on the viewer. Horizontal and vertical formats are the two most common ways to frame an image although interest in the square crop seems to be on the rise.

Horizontal framing (landscape format) is ideal when:

–the subject is wider than it is taller, such as boats, bridges, or rows of houses.

–there is implied movement from side to side, such as a motion blur shot of a ball rolling from the left to the right of the frame.

–landscape (or seascape) panoramas, especially those that show horizon lines.

Vertical framing (portrait format) is ideal when:

–the subject is taller rather than it is wider.

–the subject is not just tall but also singular or few, such as a solitary lamppost, a skyscraper or a person standing. A line of people or a row of skyscrapers could benefit from a horizontal framing instead.

–implied movement is going upwards or downwards.

–you want focus to just be on the subject since this orientation removes peripheral vision

For budding photographers, horizontal framing (a.k.a landscape format) is more often used than vertical (probably because it’s just more convenient to hold the camera in its horizontal position rather than having to tilt it sideways.)However, using vertical framing can alter the impression of the same scene. Although the final framing can be decided in post processing by cropping or rotating the image, try to make your decision before you press that shutter button so you will not end up having to cut off large unnecessary areas in the image.

The Square Crop

The most common aspect ratio is a rectangle but there is also the square, and square crops are fast becoming popular again (it was a common format in the 50’s during the era of the medium format cameras which used film with a square aspect ratio). Square crops are often used for online avatars (the image that represents you in the internet) and image thumbnails, and they look great when you want to make a photo collage in your portfolio since they provide consistency.

There are some compositional elements that seem to work especially well with a square crop:

Symmetry – symmetrical subjects are commonly cropped square with its central point at the center as well of the frame. But asymmetry can be just as attractive when shown in a square crop as long as you pay close attention to the composition. Common principles such as the rule of thirds and perspective are often applied and can be very effective.

Diagonals – since the square crop is neutral and does not really lead your line of vision from side to side or up to down, showing a diagonal allows the eye to be lead to where you want them to linger.

Abstract and minimal style – there is something to be said for a minimal image in a simple square crop.The clean and spare lines and shapes that form a minimal composition work very well with the square aspect ratio. So too with abstract images which may emphasize purely colors and indefinable shapes.

There is no hard and fast rule when to use a square crop over the more conventional rectangle. One way to find out if the image would look better that way is to crop a copy of it in post processing. If you’re using Photoshop, simply keep the Shift key pressed as you drag your crop tool over the selected image area and the crop will be a perfect square. You can always undo the crop action if you do not like how the composition flows in this format.

In the previous article, ‘Understanding Depth of Field’, we talked about the meaning of depth of field and how it affects our images. Here are some helpful tips on how to make the most out of this feature:

Try to avoid using too much of depth of field – Bringing the whole scene of a photograph into focus and keeping it sharp would require a small aperture. Just be cautious when making it too small. If this happens, the lens sharpness will lose its effect on the smallest apertures. Make sure you use just enough to get the effect you want. Trial and error is needed to get the perfect shot in using different apertures, but the end result will be well worth it.

Set the focal point – The depth of field stretches from the rear and in front of the center of focus. At times it may go further from behind than from the front. When choosing a particular focal point, give an allowance of 1/3 from the actual point instead of only ½ from the point.

Use a tripod – when a larger depth of field is used, less light enters the camera. To counterbalance this, and for your shot to still have correct exposure, you have to use a higher ISO or longer shutter speeds. The ISO still has a limited capacity before the problem with noise in the image will start to affect your photograph. To avoid this, lengthen the shutter speed to a point. This will require you to use a tripod to stabilize the camera for a clearer shot.

Depth of field preview –A trained eye can easily distinguish point of focus and resulting compositions. However, more often than not, the depth of field can be tricky. DSLR cameras have the option for a depth of field preview that is most handy. You can use the aperture priority mode, which will allow you to stop the lens to the aperture that you have chosen. This will give you a more accurate view of the outcome of a particular shot in terms of depth of field. What is seen, however, has the tendency to be darker due to less light coming through the aperture, but everything else should look the same (unless your surroundings are dim and the aperture is really small).

Focal length – this is largely determined by the choice in the photographer’s composition. Every one gives a different effect on the depth of field. The longer the focal lengths, the less depth of field compared to using shorter focal lengths. Always remember, in achieving a desired depth of field, try adjusting the focal length aside from the aperture.

In getting the most from your depth of field, always set your camera to aperture priority mode, try to photograph the same model or subject several times while using different settings on aperture, point of focus, and focal length. Jot down the settings you’ve tried for each shot so you can notice and compare distinct differences in the images. This is the best way to find out how various depths of field settings can create different yet wonderful results.

How your image looks and feels depends a lot on one of the most important elements of photography, and this is depth of field (DoF). Many of today’s photographers that alternate from using a digital SLR camera to a simple point-and-shoot tend to overlook this very important aspect in photography. The more recent models and range of cameras out in the market and almost all of the ultra zooms have remarkable control on depth of field, but not all photographers utilize the full extent of this feature.

Depth of field is simply defined as the distance or depth from a certain point that a photograph will be sharp to where the rest of the background in the shot is blurry. A broad or extensive depth of field will have a larger portion of your image clearer or in focus. A narrower or lesser depth of field will make more of the area look out of focus. This is not a sudden transition from sharp to blurry, but rather it is a gradual change:

Notice in this pebble image that the foreground and the background are gradually getting more blurred the further away they are from the middle ground which is the focal point, which is the area that is the sharpest and most clear.

Both techniques can create polar effects that can add to the impact of your shot depending on what effect you want to create. The use of narrow or broad depth of field is a type of approach the photographer can use to keep attention on the focal point or to create artistic impressions.

Four main factors contribute in controlling depth of field;

1.)Aperture Control – the lens aperture directly affects depth of field. Big apertures (small f/numbers) result in a narrow or shallow depth of field while smaller apertures (large f/numbers) result in a broader depth of field. To draw a viewer’s attention more to the subject, create an effect that blurs the background (more commonly known as selective focus) by using f/numbers such as f/2.8 or f/4. To have a clear and focused shot without the blurring effect, use f/numbers such as f/16 or f/22.

2.)Focal Length – When parallel light rays enter a lens that is focused at infinity, they converge to a point called the focal point. Focal length would be the distance from the middle of the lens to the focal point. The three main types of lenses, namely wide-angle, telephoto, and normal lens, can be described by their focal lengths. More info can be found in the article Explaining the Various Camera Lens Types.

3.)Subject Distance – the closer the camera is to the focal point or the subject, the less available depth of field.

4.)Sensor Size – the smaller the sensor size, the greater the depth of field. They are organized by their crop factor, which uses the frame of a 35mm film as a comparison.

The sensor is already set to a standard function, so it can’t be altered. The focal length and distance from your subject is largely reliant on what type of composition will be used in the photograph. The lens aperture then primarily controls the depth of field.

In landscape or architectural photography, one thing that photographers look for and often want to include is the presence of converging lines, parallel lines that seem to meet in the distance. A common example would be railroad tracks. If you were to stand in the middle of the tracks, you will notice that the lines seem to go closer together until the tracks taper off to a point (also known as ‘vanishing point’) at the far end.

Using converging lines is an effective way to lead your viewer’s attention to the point of interest, as well as to give the impression of depth and dimension. The lines work to draw the eyes to a certain direction and location in the frame. Scenes or objects where you can take advantage of converging lines are hallways, roads, bridges, stairs, alleys and other locations that show parallel lines that seem to meet at the far end.

Here are some tips you will find useful when you want to include converging lines in your image:

1.Play around with positioning – there are many ways you can position the converging lines. One would be to place them in the center, making them appear symmetrical in the frame, which would provide balance as well. Another way is to position them diagonally across the frame. Diagonal lines make the image more dynamic since it implies movement. Decide whether to use a landscape or portrait format since this also affects the final outcome. Having a low camera angle would make the converging lines give a different effect compared to if you took the shot from a high viewpoint.

2.Use a wide angle view – various lenses can show different results when it comes to capturing converging lines. Using a wide angle lens, or a wide angle preset if your camera has one, can exaggerate the appearance of the width of the lines where they begin in the foreground. This can add visual impact to the scene.

3.Position the convergence – the placement of where your lines seem to meet is important because this is the spot where the viewer’s eyes will ultimately be drawn to. Be strategic with the positioning of this focal point in the frame. Keep in mind that the Rule of Thirds can guide you with this, since it states that key focal areas are found at one third of the frame. You can, of course, disregard this ‘rule’ and have your vanishing point smack dab in the middle of the shot, as long as you can see that this composition would be more effective. You can even position the vanishing point off the frame, so that the lines imply that they will eventually connect in some unseen spot. This has a more subtle effect, yet can be just as successful in leading the attention to the point of interest.

4.Add interest at the point of convergence – converging lines can be an attractive subject in itself with a strong visual impact. Sometimes, however, the addition of a point of interest can bring the image up to a higher level. For instance, an image may be composed of a path in the woods. A cottage or a person located near the end of the path can make the image all the more interesting.

When taking a photograph, usually most of the attention is centered on the subject and very little emphasis is placed on the areas that are not in focus. A usual technique used when photographing is having a shallow depth of field to make a particular subject more prominent than the other things surrounding it. This technique makes a lot of the photographers forget the artistic possibilities of the portions that are out of focus as they center all the attention on the subject alone. In fact, the background and foreground can add more depth and visual impact to an image when everything works together.

‘Bokeh’, a term derived from the Japanese word meaning ‘haze’ or ‘blur’, is the part of an image that is not clear or in focus. The correct pronunciation of the term ‘bokeh’ has been a topic of debate in the world of photography, but a popular pronunciation would be ‘bo’ as in ‘bone’ and ‘ke’ as in ‘kettle’. Contrary to what many photographers believe, bokeh is an important aspect in adding visual impact to an image and its artistic contribution can be controlled by using basic principles which we will further discuss in detail:

Use a big aperture for a shallower depth of field (DoF) – usually bokeh is determined to be the out of focus part of a photograph which is impacted by depth of field. DoF affects how big a portion of an image is blurry. A low aperture value such as 1.8 or 2.7 will produce a shallow DoF that will make a large portion of an image blurry. A common misconception for most budding photographers is to always use the lowest aperture setting. To make an image have more visual impact, maintain a balance between the blurry portions and the objects in focus. Just because the background is out of focus doesn’t mean you will have an ideal bokeh shot.

Choose the right lens – more expensive lenses out in the market have more curved aperture blades that produce circular bokeh. An aperture consists of a lot of blades that make up a circle or octagon that allows light to pass through to the sensor. Apertures that have more blades or have curved blades produce a more defined circular shaped light bursts while those with octagonal openings produce bokeh effects closer to its shape. Depending on your preference, the choice of aperture would create the effect you would want.

Create your own custom bokeh – as of late, the technique of placing cutouts specially designed to be placed onto a lens has been in vogue for photographers seeking a more customized effect to their images. This enables photographers to have more control of the shape of the bokeh lights.This can add a touch of creativeness to photographs. Using a black sheet of paper, shapes can be cut out from it and taped onto a lens like a lens cap. Make sure the cutout is positioned exactly in the center of the lens to produce the desired effect. The end result will show bokeh shapes that follow the design of the cutout.

Relate the foreground with the background – ideally, in every image there has to be continuity and relation among the foreground, background and subject to have visual harmony. Sometimes, what we least expect to capture in an image is the most captivating. Make sure that in some way the foreground interacts with the background.

Bokeh may be a common technique used in photography but it is given much less attention in comparison to other techniques. By focusing on bokeh and constantly testing ways to improve its effects, it can add more depth and visual impact to your images.

We often talk about the background of an image, focusing on its importance in the overall composition of the image. There is another area, however, which we don’t often pay notice to, but which can elevate the effect of an image. This is the foreground, or the portion of the frame that is closer to the camera than the subject. There are quite a few ways to bring attention to the foreground:

Use a low viewpoint – try placing your camera lower than eye level and slightly tilted upwards. This perspective will give the foreground some emphasis since the camera is literally closer to the ground. With this viewpoint comes the impression of being small because the subject might appear to loom over the camera. You can experiment with using the foreground to show notions of dominance, strength, formidability or weakness.

Elevate horizon line – if your image has a horizon, place the horizon line on the upper third of the frame to emphasize the ground instead of the lower third which would emphasize the sky. Of course, there should be something for the viewer to look at if 2/3 of the frame is the foreground. This brings me to the next point which is foreground interest.

Add foreground interest – this will draw the viewer’s eye towards the subject. It will also fill the empty sections in the frame. Don’t make the foreground too interesting, though, or it will steal attention away from the subject and it might end up becoming the main point of interest.

Adjust your aperture – a small aperture will allow more of the scene to be in focus so that a bigger area (such as from foreground to background) will appear clear in the shot. On the other hand, you can also fix your lens opening to make the foreground blurry but still show recognizable shapes to support the subject. For instance, a foreground filled with red roses can be a little out of focus while the young lady smelling the flowers is sharp and clear. The flowers will not steal attention from the subject but rather provide support to the subject’s activity, plus they can also act as a natural frame.

Include leading lines – these will help draw the viewer’s eyes from the foreground upwards or inwards toward the subject. They don’t have to be straight lines, curves or winding lines are perfectly fine. They don’t even have to be lines, a set of objects or shapes that will lead you to look at the subject will do.

The objective of street photography is to capture subjects doing regular and candid activities in public settings. This style has two, rather opposite, approaches. The first is that photographs taken this way present society in an aloof way. It follows the concept of straight photography where the photographer tries to be as objective as possible in documenting the subject in the scene, using no in-camera effects or manipulation that might affect its reality. The other approach is very personal in the presentation of the subject. The photographer tries to show through the image his or her impression of the culture of society, and an interpretation of moments of interaction or disconnection between people in their environment.

It is one thing to take photographs of subjects in a studio or at home where you are comfortable and where all the elements are controlled by you, and quite a different experience to be out in the street among strangers in an environment where you do not have much control. Practicing street photography, where you have little control over the surroundings and the people, can be both a nerve wracking and an exhilarating experience for the beginner photographer.

As you walk the streets looking for subjects, there are a few things to keep in mind:

Be inconspicuous – do not go out and stand in the middle of the sidewalk to shoot pictures of people. Aside from obstructing traffic, majority of people will not like their picture taken, especially not without warning and permission. Instead, try to blend in with the scene. You do not have to try to hide behind a tree or a telephone post. That is just as bad because people will still notice you and think you are crazy.

Know your light sources – sunlight is usually the main light source in street photography. The light changes depending on the hour so the same scene can appear different. The area you might want to shoot might be very well lighted in the morning but might appear very dark in the afternoon when it is hidden in the shadow of the nearby huge building. At night, there are a lot of light sources that can create mood and tension such as a bright moon, lamplights, street signs, and lighted windows.

Know the effect of time of day – as mentioned earlier, the light changes at various hours. But aside from that, the street scene itself may also change. The surroundings will look different in the early morning when only a few people are up and about compared to lunch time when it is rush hour and there are crowds of people milling and resting in the shade.

Ask permission to shoot – some people appear so interesting that you really want to take a closer shot of them. If you ask nicely enough, some people might consent to having their pictures taken. This solves the problem of you trying to get a good shot without letting yourself be noticed. Be relaxed and friendly when you approach them, and be genuine and sincere in your intent. Strike a conversation to make them (and you) relax. Listen to their answers and stories as you take your shots, do not pretend to be interested by nodding your head every few seconds at everything they say.

Travel light – bring as little gear as possible so you can move more flexibly as you roam around taking photographs. Aside from weighing you down, they will draw more attention to you.

Enter the side streets – there is much to be seen in the less travelled areas where tourists rarely enter. This is your chance to show what goes on behind the main thoroughfare.

Use different angles – break away from your usual viewpoint when you shoot the scene. Climb one floor of a commercial building and shoot the scene from the high vantage point, or sit on a bench and tilt the camera upwards.

Attend street events – parades, street performances, rallies, and the like would make great points of interest. The everyday street scene transforms into a stage and these occasions are a splendid opportunity to capture the richness of society’s culture.

Get a model or property release if needed – if you are planning to use your photos commercially by selling them, you will need model releases for recognizable faces and property release for structures showing in the images. Some places have anti-photography laws prohibiting you to take pictures. Know the legalities of the area to avoid any issues that might occur.

Black & white or color? – the impact of an image changes when presented in monochrome as compared to colored. Some scenes convey more meaning in black and white and there are others that are more striking when in full color. The advantage of digital photography is you can always shoot in color and convert to monochrome in post processing.